Adapting to Climate Change: Emergency Management Challenges David Thornton.
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Transcript of Adapting to Climate Change: Emergency Management Challenges David Thornton.
Adapting to Climate Change:Emergency Management Challenges
David Thornton
Adapting to Climate Change
What is Climate Change? – CC101
Is the Climate in Minnesota Changing, and if so how?
What are the likely implications of a changing climate?
The end of the world as we know it
The greatest hoax ever perpetrated upon mankind
Climate Change is Either:
What is Climate?
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, precipitation, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elements in a given region over long periods of time. Climate can be contrasted to weather, which is the present condition of these same elements and their variations over periods up to two weeks.
Climate Change?
Weather ≠ climate A single weather event cannot be linked
to climate change
A season’s weather cannot be linked to climate change
So, is our Climate Changing?
Recent Observed Climate Trends in the Upper Midwest
Warmer winters; higher minimum temperatures
Earlier spring Shorter duration of ice cover Greater frequency of “tropical” dew
points Greater annual precipitation
More days with rain More frequent heavy rains Increasing winter snowfall
Temperature Increase °F 1895-2006
Winter Temperature Increases are Greater
Annual Precipitation Increase 1895-2006
Annual Precipitation is Increasing
Annual Runoff is Increasing
How Does it Work?
Higher Temperatur
es
Speeds up the water
cycle
More extreme weather events
The New Minnesota Climate?
Minnesota Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Team (ICAT) Pollution Control Agency Department of Natural Resources Department of Health Department of Agriculture Department of Transportation Department of Commerce (Office of
Energy Security) Department of Public Safety (Division of
Homeland Security and Emergency Management)
ICAT ConclusionsPotential Impacts of Climate Change in
Minnesota
More spring flooding events
More frequent flash flooding events
Increased threat of waterborne disease
More invasive species Accelerated
extinction or extirpation of plant and animal species
Longer growing seasons
Changes in duration of allergy seasons; increased of respiratory illness
Chemical and biological changes to lakes and streams
Increased periods of drought
ICAT ConclusionsPotential Impacts of Climate Change in
Minnesota
More wildfire events More extreme heat
events, increasing the potential for heat-related illness or death
Changing special patterns and incidence of vector-borne and zoonotic diseases
Changes in established outdoor recreational opportunities
Lower water levels and changing shorelines on Lake Superior
Degradation of air quality
Changes in energy usage
Increased spending on infrastructure